1 . Decision hard

From the moment we wake up each day, we’re faced with a continuous stream of choices.    1    , when there are too many options. This is decision fatigue (疲劳), a state of mental overload that can impede (妨碍) our ability to make additional decisions.

When decision fatigue kicks in, you may feel like you just don’t have the mental bandwidth to deal with more decisions.     2    . As a result, you avoid making certain choices entirely, go with the default option or make ones that aren’t in line with your goals or values, experts say.

Here’s how to minimize or manage this phenomenon:

    3    . Some easy ways to do this: When you go grocery shopping, use a master list that has the same staples, and buy the same brands each time.    4    . And if you’re trying to exercise regularly, devote a consistent amount of time for it every day.

Tune into how you’re feeling. Be watchful of signs of decision fatigue and act accordingly: If you’ve had a demanding day that was filled with lots of decisions, put off making another one if you can. If things that wouldn’t normally upset you start bothering you, consider that a sign that you may not be in the best state of mind to make a major decision. “People may not realize that they’re experiencing decision fatigue,” Baumeister, a professor of psychology at the University of Queensland in Australia, says. “    5    .”